James Garner wants more “surreal” moments like the one he experienced after scoring the screamer in Everton’s 2-0 win against Brighton and Hove Albion in their first official game at Hill Dickinson Stadium last month.

On a historic day for Everton Football Club, the official curtain-raiser of their new waterfront stadium, Garner came face-to-face with a moment of raw joy that young kids chase while playing football.

“It was one of those,” he smiles while recollecting the moment after his thunderstrike smashed into the back of the net just in front of the impossibly steep South Stand at Bramley-Moore Dock. 

“I said at the time and it’s true, I don’t think people talk about how good a feeling scoring a goal is at any level of football, but then you put the context into it – 50-odd thousand people, it wasn’t just a tap-in but a screamer… it’s literally the stuff you do when you’re on the playground or playing on the streets with your mates as a kid. 

“You’d create a situation like that and scream your name out as you hit it like a commentator. To live out a moment like that was surreal, really. It’s special. I want more of those now.”

Nominated for the Premier League Goal of the Month, the moment keeps popping up endlessly on Garner’s Instagram feed. The insurance goal, scored after Iliman Ndiaye etched his name into Everton folklore once again, in the 2-0 victory, kick-started a winning run for David Moyes’ side.

They went into the September international break with three victories on the bounce following the opening-day defeat to Leeds United and are fifth in the league table.

The Blues have taken massive strides following the return of the Scotsman, and while it may seem convenient to forget that the team was just above the relegation zone at one point last season, Garner chooses to focus on the mentality shift that Moyes has brought in.

“He said to us on day one that he’s not come here to take over a team that’s fighting against relegation – he said it again on day one of pre-season,” reveals Garner. 

“He sets high standards and we know where we want to be. We’ve got a few more faces in over the summer and with the quality we have in the squad now, we all agree with the manager – if you want to achieve big things, then you’ve got to set your standards and your goals high.

“I think you can see it in us. There is a mentality shift. We’re playing with more confidence, going into games thinking how we are going to take all three points, it’s not just surviving. We’ve done that in these first few games. Obviously, the first game [against Leeds] felt like a blip, I don’t think we played well, but we’ve responded and now the aim is to keep building momentum.

“We want to keep winning and keep that winning mentality – that was the message in the changing room amongst all of us after the Wolves game.”

Everton will return to action as they prepare to host Aston Villa at Hill Dickinson Stadium on Saturday.

 

Reader Comments (11)

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Dave Abrahams

1 Posted
10/09/2025 at
16:58:07

Great goal, James!

I hope to see you hit a few more this season after Everton have sorted you out with a new contract.

Sean Kelly

2 Posted
10/09/2025 at
18:59:30

Yes Dave. He’s a very underrated player. He’s been played around the park in different positions and he’s an honest player.

It might not always work out for him or the team but he does put a shift in.

Christy Ring

3 Posted
10/09/2025 at
19:34:19

Dave #1,

Completely agree, hope they sort out his contract sooner rather than later. Some on ToffeeWeb don’t rate James, and that’s their right, but for me he’s totally underrated.

Even though he scored a great goal against Brighton, he showed in his performance against Wolves how much we need to play him in his proper position, midfield.

Jonathan Oppenheimer

4 Posted
10/09/2025 at
19:58:18

There is some world in which James Garner is not of the quality we want or need, but we are nowhere near that point just yet. And even if we were, he’d be an excellent squad player.

For now, he’s a £20 million player whom we can’t afford to replace. Sign him up for 4 more years as soon as possible.

Micky Norman

5 Posted
10/09/2025 at
20:13:46

In the ’80s, we had Kevin Richardson who was our utility player. Such a good player but he moved on to Arsenal.

Garner reminds me very much of him. Hope he stays.

Liam Mogan

6 Posted
10/09/2025 at
20:20:46

Kevin Richardson was a very good player who, if wasnt for a late season collapse by the Villa side he played for, would have become the only player to have won the English league title for 3 different teams.

James Garner is an underrated player who will only get better with good players around him who are comfortable on the ball.

Mike Gaynes

7 Posted
10/09/2025 at
20:36:05

I’ve always considered Garner a foundational piece to Everton’s future. Even if someday we have stars all over the pitch, we will need a tough, versatile foot soldier to handle the grit work in midfield. If Garner can stay healthy, there’s not a doubt in my mind that he’s the guy.

The back injuries do concern me. So sign him, definitely… but keep your fingers crossed.

Derek Knox

8 Posted
10/09/2025 at
22:35:55

Hi Mike G, totally agree about Garner being an integral member on the pitch at present, or as a squad utility man in the future.

I always remember Bob Paisley ( I know RS and all that) but he and Shankly knew their stuff. He said ” you could go out and buy the best players in the World and basically fail. Every star player has certain strengths, but also weaknesses, you need workhorses to play to their strengths and cover their weaknesses “.

Paul Kossoff

9 Posted
10/09/2025 at
23:37:56

Surreal, something strange and dreamlike, often combining elements not found in reality to create an intense, illogical, or disorienting experience. James, that game you scored in was the hight of surreal. How we won that one I still can’t fathom out. A fair result would have been a sound beating in our first premier League game at BMD, (yes I refuse to refer to our new home as the H D until the owners put up the name EVERTON on the river side and road side of the stadium.) We should all sign a petition to them asking, no, demanding that.

Sorry to say it James, but if we play like that again we won’t get away with it. The defence is not right, and I think the only one who thinks it’s ok is Moyes and his recruitment team. Branthwaite will improve it but he can’t do everything, one way you could improve it D M is tell the defensive mids to do their fkg jobs!

But we have to make do until January, unless Moyes brings in a free agent.

It’s so nice to get things off my mind. Or as the Yanks say, off of my mind, or is it of off? 😁

Bob Parrington

10 Posted
11/09/2025 at
01:36:04

Sure thing James, a great goal. Keep it up mate!

Mike Gaynes

11 Posted
11/09/2025 at
01:36:47

Hi Del, great to see you post! Hope all’s well.

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